Musical instrument keyboard



1951 H. A. JEWETT ET AL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT KEYBOARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed March 11, 1946 Alson JJeweil zmd ae q Arron/mm Feb. 20, 1951 H. A.J EWETT ET AL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT KEYBOARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March11, 1946 I //v VE/Y TOES fidmldAflwellb fldswaltleweii Patented Feb. 20,1951 MUSICAL INSTRUMENT KEYBOARD Harold A. J ewett, Washington, D. 6.,and Nelson J. J ewett, Arlington County, Va.

Application March 11, 1946, Serial No. 653,618

The invention relates to-*keyed musical instruments of the type whichare manually operated from a piano or pipe organ type of keyboard orkeyboards.

It is an object of the invention to improve the capability of theinstrument to respond to the desires of a musician in regard to musicalexpression.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an organconsolehaving a plurality of banks of keys, or manuals, or .claviers,hereinafter called manuals, ina novelarrangement to enable their jointuse; v 1 f As is wel known, themajor portion of organ pipesvarevdesigned'tosiinulate each some symphonic musical instrument. eachinstrument corresponding to a rank of pipes is :played'by a separateperson and hence may play a definite portion or phras unmixed with otherinstruments.

The organist can treat one rank of pipes in this'manner byplayingitsnotes on one manual while playing an accompaniment with the other jhandon another. manual, but pure tones from more than one rank of pipescannot be had with an accompaniment as for instance a wind and stringduet with the equivalent of orchestralac- 'companiment. This is truebecause at any time when two or more stops are drawn for the same manualeach key depressed will sound all the pipes for that key correspondingto those stops, thus producing a unison; composite or even muddyei'lectas compared'with a single or 'pure tone. 1

In the usual oonsolewith plural manuals it is possible to playsome'note'son one manual with the thumb and'on another manual with thelittle linger,- but two manual manipulations with one hand cannot gomuch .beyond this. As contrasted with the prior art, the plurality 4Claims. (Cl.- 84424) ment with the left hand, utilizing 16 foot bourdononthe manual for the left hand, both the bass and the-tenor will get thebourdon tone. Using the present invention the pianist may play thebourdon on one manual for bass, and the tenor on an adjacent manual bothwith thelef t In the orchestra t of manuals of the.present invention areso con= istruct'ed that. effective use of three adjacent manualsispossible with each .hand at the same time. As an extreme example ofthe efiects that may be obtained, a sextet may be performed on pipes orelectric tone producers simulating six different musical instruments andpreserving the; purity of tone of each by reason of the fact that-no twosounding-devices would respond to any one key.

.. As a further example of new power resulting hand in the manner withwhich a pianist is familiar, thereby sicuring pipe organ effectsby pianotechnique. Furthermore a separate pipe may be chosen for each the base,tenor, alto and soprano and pure tones may be had from each. This isimpossible or at least impractical with the present organ console. 6

Pursuant to the above, it is an object ofv the invention to provideanorgan console having a plurality of manuals so constructed that atleast two manuals may readily be used by each hand';

and particularly that useful playing may b'e done with one hand on threemanuals simultaneously. This objects, as set forth hereinafter, isachieved by the use of novel condensed spacing of a plurality of manualscomposed of keys atleast some of which are of substandard dimensions except astowidth. v

Other objects of the invention will appear from the followingdcscription when read in conned; tion with the accompanying-drawingshowing illustrative embodiments of the invention, in which: TI.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a series of ten manuals omitting theblack keys; Fig. 2 is a like viewshowing a different form and showingblack keys; Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the structure of Figure 1including black keys; I Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of a differentmodlfffication; I Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of thestructure of Fig.2; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figure" 1 of a still further form of theinvention; I Fig. 7 is a detail plan view'of the structureoi' Fig.6; andI Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of a still further form of manual. Y

The arrangement of the white and black keys of the keyboard universallyin use in organs, pipe and reed, and. also in the modern electric organsas well as in pianos, is standard, and is that utilized in the presentinvention, for obvious reasons, being familiar to musicians.v

The horizontal dimensions. of the keys are standardized at substantiallyseven-eighths of an inch wide by four and one-half inches long for thewhite keys.

The matter of standardization is referred to on the present instruments.

by William Harrison Barnes in The Contemporary American Organ, publishedby J. Fischer 81, Bro., New York, 1933, On page 240, where he saysKeyboards should be two and, one-half inches above or below each other.A distance of four inches from the front edge of one manual to aperpendicular line touching the front edge of the one above or below istending to become standard.

A survey of pianos manufactured during the past century reveals that thelength of keys and width of white keys follows the standard set forth inthe above named publication. In only a few instances are the keys lessthan four and onehalf inches and in nearly all the width of the whitekeys is substantially seven-eighths of an inch.

The latter dimension is dictated by the length of the fingers of theaverage hand, which is thus able to span one actave with facility.Giants could use a wider key and persons with hands noticeably smallerthan average cannot play some of the music written for the piano ororgan However, an instrument to be useful must be operable by the greatmass of adults. This average size determines the proportional dimensionsand spacing of the keys and combination of manuals according to thepresent invention.

To enable musicians to secure the eiiects which are the aim of theinvention, it is necessary that at least two manuals may bewithin thereach of at least two digits each of one hand and is particularlydesirable that a third manual be within 1 reach of the fifth digit. Andin the more preferred embodiments of the invention the musical intervalformed by keys simultaneously depressed by digits of one hand on thefirst and third manuals of a given group of three manuals is at least awhite key--to white key major third, e. g. C to the E above it,,the Ebeing the second note of the tonic triad in the key of C, or still morepreferably at, least a white key-to white key fifth, e. g. C to the Gabove it, the G being the third note of the tonic triad in the key of C.The desirability of these especially preferred em-- bodiments isparticularly manifest from the great frequency of use of the tonicchords of the signature keys of harmonized musical compositions, or, tothe same effect, of the relative dominant and subdominant triads of thesaid keys. 1

Experiments show that maximum dimensions and, spacing to this end callfor not more than substantially two inches drop between manuals incombination with a length of white keys not in excess of four inches.The length of key referred to is the projected length. or the distancefrom the front edge of the manual to the point where a perpendicularline dropped from the front edge of the manual above meets the surfaceof the keys.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in elevation in Figure 1,drawn to proportions of one-half inch drop and two and one-eighthprojected length of the keys with one-eighth inch overhang providing atotal length of white key of two and one-fourth inches. In this form,the

keys are allowed a depression in operation that isequal to the dropbetween manuals as indicated by the dot and dash line below the key atthe left of Figure 1.

In the form of Fig. 6, the proportions shown are for a drop of twoinches and a projected length of white keys of two and three-quarters 4inches. The one-fourth inch overhang of this form gives an overalllength of white key of three and one-fourth inches. With a suitablestructure between manuals, and with this amount of drop the overhangcould be somewhat increased resulting in somewhat longer white keys.Tests have shown that these are substantially the maximum dimensionsusable while achieving the objects of the invention.

The substandard length keys, of three inches or less in length may offerdifiiculty to many musicians at firstuse. In elevation, in Fig. 2, andin plan in Fig. 5, is shown a form that will relieve this difiiculty. Inthis form, the proportions shown are drawn for drops of one andonefourth inches. Groups of substandard keys ID are shown interspersedwith manuals of standard keys II and I2. Inthis embodiment providing aconsole with ten: manuals, three manuals of substandard length keys areshown above followed by a standard manual, then twosubstandard manuals,a standard manual below the group of two, and finally three substandardkey length manuals nearest the player.

A player who objectsto use of the substandard keys, has before him, ineffect, a two manual instrument which he may operate in the manner withwhich he is familiar. Since there are at least two substandard manualsboth above and below each standard manual in this form, keys of threemanuals may be actuated by either hand from any position, the threeincluding, one manual of standard keys in some'instances.

The fingers and thumb, when placednaturally on thekeys form a curvedline. This factmakes the use of the substandard keys utilized in thepresent invention somewhat awkward in some instances. To obviate thisdifiiculty a form of the invention such as shown in Fig. 4 may be used.As there shown, the keys of the manuals are arranged, e. g., in arcs-ofcircles, the curves drawn from centers separated by distances, equal tothe length of the keys. In this form shorter keys may be used withincreased facility.

InFig. 8 is shown a-form of keys that may be used to reduce the overalldimensions of the keyboard. The round keys there shown may be movablymounted in any desired manner. Such keys could be used on certainmanuals or a certain manual only if 1 desired. They would be quitesatisfactory for percussion sounders.

The usual controls as stop switches, combination and coupling pistonsand thelike may be utilized, enabling the performer to not only devoteeach manual to a separate sound' producer but to actuate any desiredcombination of sound producers, as organ pipes, fromany manual at will.Forming no part of the present invention such controls arenotillustrated.

We are aware of the disclosure of Patent 426,812 granted to Hofinghofl,April 29, 1890, which discloses two manuals having white keys on one andblack keys on the other of substandard length.

For the convenience of the player in identification of a wanted manual,various means of differentiating them may be provided, which identifyingmeans may provide a striking and beautiful appearance. One such means ofidentification may be contrasting colors of the keys of the respectivemanuals. As a further or alternative means of identification the whitekeys may be provided with a conspicuous numeral. A numeral may beprovided on each of the said keys or only at octave or fifth or thirdintervals as preferred.

When white keys are referred to herein and in the claims, the term isintended to indicate those keys which are used exclusively in playingthe scale of C. These keys, usually longer than the black keys, mayactually be provided in colors other than white as above referred to.

The invention is not limited to any particular maximum number ofmanuals. However, it is to be noted that the use of the substandard keymanuals of the invention will enable a player to reach over a greaternumber of manuals to play upon the most distant one. The increasednumber of manuals also places at the disposal of a performer anincreased possibility of presetting registrations or combinations ofregistrations which will then be at his command without need foroperation of pistons or stop switches. For instance, the ten manuals ofFigure 1 may have a different registration preset on each, resulting inten registrations when played singly, in nine others when operated twoat a time, in eight still others when operated three at a time, and soon, thus yielding many times the pre-set tonal effects which arepossible with conventional instruments.

A still further advantage of the invention lies in the fact that inplaying on a given manual with one hand and on a different one with theother, a given number of intervening manuals can be spanned with fargreater ease, as regards the necessary reaching with the arms whilemaintaining bodily balance in the sitting position, than is possible inthe case of conventionally spaced manuals.

It is anticipated that when a musician becomes skilled in the use of aninstrument of the invention and possibly when music is written toutilize its full possibilities, music may be executed by a singleperformer not heretofore possible outside of an orchestra.

In the above description and in the following claims, the term projectedlength means the distance between the end of a white key nearest theplayer and th point of intersection of the playing surface of the keywith a perpendicular line dropped from the end of the correspondingwhite key of the next manual thereabove or therebeyond; the termstandard length means a white key length of playing surface ofsubstantially four and one-half inches; the term fstandard projectedlength means a projected length of playing surface of a white key ofsubstantially four inches; the term drop or difference of level betweentwo manuals means the length of said dropped line from said point ofintersection to the end of the white key from which it is dropped; theterm "substandard length of a white key means a length of less than fourand one-half inches; the term substandard projected length of a whitekey means a projected length of less than four inches; and the termsubstandard drop or substandard difference of level means a drop of lessthan two and one-half inches between manuals.

Minor changes may be made in the physical embodiments of the inventionwithin the scope of the appended claims without departing from thespirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. A keyboard for musical instruments utilizing keys of the organ type,comprising, in combination: a plurality of at least three manuals withcorresponding keys in the respective manuals in alignment; the length ofthe white keys of at least one of said manuals between two othersthereof being less than the standard length of l inches; the white keysof another of said manuals adjacent said manual of substandardlengthkeys having a standard length of about 4% inches; the length of thesubstandard-length keys and the difference in level between said manualsbeing so correlated that the straight line separation of a key in one ofsaid manuals from a key in another of said cmanuals, which two manualsare separated by said substandard key length manual and which separatedkeys form a major third in music, is not substantially in excess of theseparation of keys in a single manual an octave apart.

2. l'he structure of claim 1 in which said keys of separated manuals,the straight line separation of which is not in excess of one octavespan, form a major fifth in music.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which the white keys of at least two ofsaid manuals, one of which is adjacent to a manual of standard lengthwhite keys, are of less length than the standard length of 4 /2 inches.

4. A keyboard for musical instruments utilizing keys of the organ type,comprising, in combination: a plurality of at least four manuals withcorresponding keys in the respective manuals in alignment; the whitekeys of two of said manuals, which two manuals are separated by at leasttwo intermediate manuals, are of the standard length of about 4 inches;the White keys of each of said intermediate manuals being of less lengththan the said standard length, the lengths of the keys of saidintermediate manuals and the drop between manuals being so correlatedthat the linear separation of a key in either of said standard manualsfrom a, key inone of the intermediate manuals separated from thestandard length key manual by another of the intermediate manuals, whichseparated keys form a major third in music, is not in excess of a spanof one octave, whereby to enable the playing of harmonies on three ofsaid manuals by the digits of one hand.

HAROLD A. J EWETT. NELSON J. JEWETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

